Marksman target stand

ABSTRACT

A firearms marksman target stand comprising a rigid plastic pipe frame connected by plastic joints encompassing a solid foam board backing to hold sheet targets. Said foam board backing is connected to and away from frame sides and at the top and bottom by plastic cable ties forming the framed target mounting area. Two rigid plastic pipe legs are coupled to framed target mounting area by plastic tee joints, already utilized at the bottom corners of framed target area. The target stand is supported in an upright position by two galvanized spikes driven into the ground and fitted properly inside bottom ends of said rigid plastic pipe legs. This target stand is light weight compact and stands freely in an upright position presenting a framed target area to mount many various size targets, and is stored and transported with legs and spikes attached to sides of framed target area.

Applicant claims benefits of provisional patent No. 61/283072 filed 2009 Nov. 27.

REFERENCES CITED

U.S. Patent Documents 5,083,390 January 1992 Edman 5,209,492 May 1993 Hamilton 5,878,518 September 1999 Grewe 6,491,303 December 2002 Huston 6,726,208 April 2004 Wilkus

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Technical Field

The disclosed invention relates generally to marksmanship with firearms and target shooting accessories and particularly to portable freestanding target stands at a preferred distance for attaching paper targets.

2. Background of the Invention

Hunters, policemen, and other marksmen often practice skills shooting at paper targets with measured rings or silhouettes requiring a sturdy rigid stand that is simple to move, breakdown, and store. Outdoor shooters often use boxes, real estate signs, bottles, cans, or other make do targets that are not at an essential height necessary to keep bullets from ricocheting off the ground creating dangerous situations.

Several referenced stands could be used for shooting targets. U.S. Pat. No. 5,083,390 (Edman) displays a sign with H-shape metal frame with legs. U.S. Pat. No. 5,209,492 (Hamilton) reveals a PVC pipe target stand for holding a target at various angles with the bottom edge setting on the ground. U.S. Pat. No. 5,878,518 (Grewe) discloses a portable stand with an adjustable weighted base with compartments to add a weight material for stabilization. U.S. Pat. No. 6,491,303 (Huston) reveals a target support utilizing a wooden support frame and separate removable footings. U.S. Pat. No. 6,726,208 (Wilkus) discloses a stand having a base for receiving weights to stabilize the stand on the surface.

What is still needed is a simple, lightweight, and portable target stand with a firm backing that can continually be restored by adding targets to the front and by adding several tape strips to the back for the next use, a stand that can support itself without any visible metal to cause ricochet, a stand when assembled will not be close to the ground to cause ricochet, and a stand that can be assembled in place in seconds to reduce delay of other shooters on shooting ranges.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention is a portable marksman target stand comprising a foam board backing connected by plastic ties at the top, bottom, and both sides to a rigid plastic pipe frame supported by two rigid plastic pipe legs which fit into the bottom edges of the frame. The entire target stand when assembled generally completes a flat or two-dimensional structure when lying on a plane.

The target stand remains upright and is supported, especially in the wind, by fitting the bottom ends of the legs over two galvanized metal spikes which are driven into the ground about half way leaving the remaining half of said spikes to be covered by the plastic pipe legs preventing bullets from hitting the metal spikes causing ricochet.

The inexpensive sturdy invention may be made more resilient by continually placing new paper targets of various sizes over top of the previously used paper targets adding to the thickness of the foam board backing, and by attaching several strips of two inch paper tape covering the center portion of the back of the foam board after each shooting session. The invention is lightweight, portable, compact, and is broken down in seconds for transport. There is great flexibility in that a large number of these target stands may be transported very easily on foot for great distances.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front elevation view of the preferred representation of a foam board backed upright target stand constructed according to my invention.

FIG. 2 is a front and side view of solid foam board depicted as item 1 of FIG. 1 showing positioning of holes and thickness.

FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 are sectional views of the rigid plastic pipe as revealed by items 4 and 5 of FIG. 1 and which when connected frame the solid foam board of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the plastic tee joints depicted as number 6 of FIG. 1 and which connects the rigid plastic pipe of items 4 and 5 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of a plastic elbow joints depicted as item 2 of FIG. 1 and which also connects the rigid plastic pipe of FIG. 3 and FIG. 4.

FIG. 7 is a view of the galvanized spike depicted as item 3 of FIG. 1 and when driven half way into the ground creates a sturdy support for the marksman target stand.

FIG. 8 shows views of FIG. 1 assembled for transport and storage.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to the drawings, the marksman target stand illustrated in FIG. 1 consists of the following: Item 1=solid foam board; Item 2=two plastic pipe elbows for two top corners; Item 3=two galvanized spikes driven into ground; Item 4=two rigid plastic pipes for top and bottom members; Item 5=four rigid plastic pipes for each of two sides and two legs; Item 6=two plastic pipe tees for two bottom corners of frame and to attach the two legs; Items 7 and 8=sixteen plastic cable wire ties.

The FIG. 1 frame construction consists of a plastic pipe top member, Item 4, fitted with a plastic pipe elbow, Item 2, at each end; a bottom member, Item 4, fitted with a plastic pipe tee, Item 6, at each end; and two side plastic pipe members, Item 5, with top ends fitted into elbows attached to top member, and bottom ends fitted into tees attached to bottom member completing the plastic pipe frame.

Attention is now directed to FIG. 2 depicted as Item 1 of FIG. 1. FIG. 2 shows the front view of the solid foam board with the positioning of four holes at the left edge, four holes at the right edge, two holes at the top edge, and two holes at the bottom edge. The solid foam board, Item 1, of FIG. 1 is positioned and tied through the holes to the rigid plastic pipe by plastic cable wire ties, Items 7 and 8. This completes the framed target area for mounting either rectangular, round, or silhouette sheet targets.

The marksman target stand is assembled by fitting the legs, FIG. 1 Item 5, up into the plastic pipe tees on each bottom corner of the framed target area. The two galvanized spikes, FIG. 1 Item 3, are then driven about half way into the ground, and the target stand legs are fitted over the remaining visible portion of said spikes.

Referring now to FIG. 8 consisting of views of the invention with two plastic pipe legs, FIG. 1 Item 5, and the two galvanized spikes, FIG. 1 Item 3 disassembled from the framed target mounting area and attached to the sides of the framed target area by four plastic cable wire ties for storing and transporting inside clear plastic sealed bag. 

1. A marksman target stand comprising: a rigid plastic pipe frame including a top member a bottom member and two side members. The said frame is coupled by two rigid plastic elbow joints and two rigid plastic tee joints with frame encompassing a sturdy foam board backing with four holes spaced close to each side edge of foam board and two holes spaced close to each the top and bottom edges and connected securely directly inside said frame through the holes by plastic cable ties, and two rigid plastic pipe legs connected into the bottom of the tee joint on each bottom corner of said frame.
 2. A marksman target stand as set forth in claim 1, wherein the body said target stand is complete and is supported in an upright position by the object of this second claim which is: two spikes fitting properly inside said rigid plastic pipe leg ends, and when half the length of said spike is driven into the ground the other half of said spike remains upright to stoutly support said target stand when legs are fitted over the spikes.
 3. A marksman target stand as set forth in claim 1 where the framed target mounting area is complete on two plastic pipe legs, and as set forth in claim 2 where the complete assembly is supported in an upright position by two galvanized spikes. In this current claim 3, the legs and spikes are detached and positioned one of each on either side of the framed target mounting area and secured with plastic cable ties for transport or storage. This secured broken down target stand storage is complete inside a clear plastic bag ready for transport. 